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Garage Sale-ing for Fun and Profit

I had a beautiful lunch today with Judie and Eddie, a couple of my co-workers. Our conversation turned to garage sales and buying other peoples’ jewelry. Turns out that Judie is a real garage-sale maven and often buys old jewelry and silverware just to turn it in for its scrap value.

Eddie was giving her a few tips, and I thought I’d pass them along to you, gentle reader.

Anything precious will almost always be marked so.

Some things marked precious, are NOT. Beware of counterfeits!

When considering buying old jewelry, keep a little magnet at hand. Gold and silver are not magnetic. If you get a strong magnetic reaction, it is likely plated iron. If you get a slight magnetic reaction, it may or may not be precious. Nickel can be magnetized, and is sometimes used in jewelry alloys or plating.

When you are looking at old silverware or teapots that come from Britain, keep your eyes open for an 800 or even an 850 mark -they do not always make their silverware out of sterling, it can be as low as 80% silver purity. Also, when handling older items, keep your eyes open for a small Lion mark. The “Lion Passant” (walking lion) is an old approved hallmark for sterling used in Great Britain:

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I LOVE stopping a garage sales when I’m out and about during the day to see if there are any treasures. I don’t plan my day around them, but have thought about it. Thanks SO MUCH for posting these tips on what to keep an eye out for. Great to know!

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